Numbers. Day 20, Offerings At The Dedication Of The Tabernacle, Part One

The events recorded in Numbers 7 appear to be a description of something that has already happened since by this time the tabernacle is believed to be in use. Some Bible scholars say these events would have taken place between Leviticus 10 and Leviticus 11. Others are not certain of the exact chronology but believe everything we'll study in Numbers 7 took place somewhere during the time period covered by Leviticus. 

"When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings. He also anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils." (Numbers 7:1) The procedure for consecrating the tabernacle and everything in it was outlined by the Lord in Exodus 40:9-11: "Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy. Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them." 

After Moses carries out the consecration procedure, offerings are brought to the dedication of the tabernacle. "Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of families who were the tribal leaders in charge of those who were counted, made offerings. They brought as their gifts before the Lord six covered carts and twelve oxen---an ox from each leader and a cart from every two. These they presented before the tabernacle." (Numbers 7:2-3) We learned the names of these heads of families in Numbers 1:5-15. I believe the Lord moved these men's hearts to bring to the tabernacle exactly what was needed for the priests to carry out the work of transporting the tabernacle and its furnishings from place to place. It's always the smart thing to do to pray to the Lord about our giving. He will direct us to give what is needed most and to give where it is needed most. 

"The Lord said to Moses, 'Accept these from them, that they may be used in the work at the tent of meeting. Give them to the Levites as each man's work requires.' So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites, as their work required, and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites, as their work required. But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites, because they were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible." (Numbers 7:4-9) We learned earlier in Numbers that the Gershonites, Merarites, and Kohathites are the three divisions of the Levite clans. 

The Gershonites receive two carts and four oxen because their duty is to transport all the fabrics and leather coverings of the tabernacle. These curtains and coverings were quite large and heavy and it would have been awkward for the men to roll all these items up like rugs and transport them across the wilderness. Also I think there would have been more risk of these items being dropped and becoming dirty or damaged. 

The Merarites receive twice the number of carts and oxen because they have to transport the framing of the tabernacle. These boards and pillars are heavier than the curtains and leather coverings. They take up more space too. More carts are needed for this task than for the cloth and leather items. 

The Kohathites receive no carts. Nothing they are responsible for transporting is to be loaded onto a cart. The large items they are to carry will have poles inserted into the rings along the sides so that men can get on each side of the item and carry it by its poles, similar to the way pallbearers carry a coffin with the exception that it appears the poles are to be held at shoulder height. I'm inserting a photo below to illustrate the way in which the items with poles were to be carried. 

"When the altar was anointed, the elders brought their offerings for its dedication and presented them before the altar. For the Lord had said to Moses, 'Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.' The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah." (Numbers 7:10-12) As we discussed back in Numbers 1, Nahshon is named in the genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is of the tribe of Judah and is a direct descendant of this man Nahshon---the first to bring an offering to the tabernacle. The offering he brings is from his entire tribe, and it was a very expensive offering as we'll see below.

"His offering was one silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and one silver sprinkling bowl weighing seventy shekels, both according to the sanctuary shekel, each filled with the finest flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering; one gold dish weighing ten shekels, filled with incense; one young bull, one ram and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering; and two oxen, five rams, five male goats and five male lambs a year old to be sacrificed as a fellowship offering. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab." (Numbers 7:13-17) The total precious metal weight of this offering weighs 210 sanctuary shekels. If the sanctuary shekel weighed 12 grams, as is commonly believed, then the precious metals included in the offering from the tribe of Judah weighed 2,520 grams. 

Join us tomorrow as we continue on with our look at the offerings gathered by each tribe to be delivered by their tribe's leader to the dedication of the tabernacle.